Chapter 2: Step Right Up

 Liv had barely shut her eyes when a scream split the night around her. She was off the couch and headed toward the stairs at the same time somebody darted out of Noah's room and took off down the stairs ahead of her.

Oliver.

The screamer had to be Zoey then.

Flipping the light switch so she could see her way down, Liv caught sight of Emma also making her way toward the sound. Harper stood in the hall, wide awake.

Liv got there just after Oliver, and she stood back as he stroked her hair and talked so quietly to her that Liv and Emma could not overhear.

Feeling ineffectual, Liv stood back, and exchanged a look with Emma, who raised her eyebrows. Glancing around the room, Liv could see Ari had sat up in bed long enough to give the room a dirty look and cover her head with her pillow. Charlie was whimpering from the top bunk above Zoey.

Thankfully, the screaming had stopped as soon as Oliver had gotten there.

“He can't be in here,” a voice warned from the doorway. Liv glanced over her shoulder to find Harper in the doorway to the girls' room.

“I'm staying,” Oliver insisted, his face pale but determined.

“I want Ollie,” Zoey sniffed, clinging tightly to him.

“Liv, you need to get him out of here. No boys in girls' rooms. It's a rule,” Harper insisted.

“All right, listen. Oliver and Zoey, come on with me. Harper, back to bed,” Liv encouraged, guiding the three out of the bedroom and leaving Emma behind to comfort Charlie and be sure Ari was not upset.

She kept her arms around Oliver and Zoey's shoulders while she made sure Harper was safely in her room. Liv squinted at the mess of blankets on the floor just inside the door. “Let us know if you need something, okay?” she reminded. “See you in the morning.”

Harper offered a little smile and closed the door behind her.

On the way through the laundry room, Liv found sleeping bags and brought them upstairs. She had no less than three spare pillows with her on the couch. “All right, you two. You sleep out here with me tonight. That way you'll have a grown up with you, and you'll know where each other's at. Sound good?”

Oliver nodded and Zoey whimpered again.

Liv crouched down between them. “Is there anything you need to feel safer right now?”

“I said on the paper...” Zoey whined, half asleep.

“I see,” Liv nodded, though she didn't. She wished they'd had a chance to go through the box for important information on the kids, but Noah turning up missing had thrown a wrench in things.

“It said 'no bells,'” Oliver whispered.

Liv blinked. “That's very good to know. Thank you. Emma and I will make sure there aren't any bells around, okay?”

“Or in my dreams,” Zoey sighed.

“That's why Ollie and I are here,” Liv reassured. “To make sure you know when you wake up that you're safe.”

Long after Oliver and Zoey had dropped off to sleep, Liv remained awake. Her phone lit up with a text. She checked. There was one from Emma:

Everyone okay?

And another from Noah:

Need me?

She responded to Emma, letting her know both kids were asleep, and to Noah, assuring him that if she needed his help, she'd let him know. She looked in on Josh and Carter, to be sure they both slept, and feeling grateful for the small miracle that the two little boys had somehow stayed asleep through all the disturbance.

It was sometime after 2 AM when Liv finally dropped off to sleep.

Six hours later came much too fast for Liv's liking. She hoped that Emma had also remembered to set an alarm. Liv had turned hers off before it could ring and wake up Oliver and Zoey, who slept soundly. Oliver had his arm slung protectively over Zoey.

That reminded Liv to check the box. She opened it as she sat there and made a face at the first item she pulled out, with one of the stickers that meant it was Josh's contribution stuck to the outside.

[Image is a toy Squirt the turtle from Finding Nemo with a green sticker with a cat's face stuck to the turtle's head]

The stickers for each child, the Talk Box and the paper chains had been ideas months in the making. Ever since October, when she and Emma had watched the kids for the first time officially, Emma's wheels had been turning. She spent her free time looking up ways to encourage positive behavior and communication for kids whose backgrounds included trauma. So far, she felt it was going well. She unfolded a brief note by Ari, telling her that Christmas had sucked this year.

Liv shut her eyes. She couldn't imagine being forcibly removed from her family before the holidays. She found a brief note from Carter, but nothing from Oliver. She'd have to talk to both of them, and Josh and Ari, to let them know she'd gotten their messages.

“Mama?” a little voice called, and Liv knew that her job started right now.

She hurried into Carter and Josh's bedroom, a cute boyish space strewn with Legos and Superheros. Josh was sitting up in bed, clutching his stuffed Daniel Tiger. “Hey, Josh. Morning.”

Liv glanced around and found his helmet on the floor and strapped it on his head. “Mama's with Daddy for a little bit, and Emma and I are gonna stay here and play with you, okay?” she explained, holding out her arms and waiting. Though he was nearly four, Josh still liked to cuddle in the morning.

He looked unsure, but eventually extended his arms in return. “You know what I found in the box this morning?” she asked quietly.

Josh gave her a questioning look.

“A turtle. Did you put this turtle in the box for me to find?” Liv asked, picking up the toy she had found moments earlier to show him.

He smiled slowly. “Nemo,” he commented.

“You know, you're right. This is the baby turtle from Nemo, isn't it?”

Josh nodded.

“What do you say we get you in some clothes and then have some breakfast?” she asked. Liv didn't add that they had to do all of this in short order, to ensure that he could get his anti-seizure medicine on time. The car accident he'd been through had not only damaged his abdomen and pelvis, but his right arm and head. He'd recovered well, but still dealt with seizures, which were not yet well controlled by medication.

Emergency training had been among the classes she and Emma had to take and pass before they were allowed to take care of these kids. They also had the good fortune of having close neighbors across the street from her aunt and uncle, who would be home all week, too, in the event that they needed an extra set of hands. Liv found a set of clothes and a fresh diaper, and quickly changed Josh while he played with the turtle from the box. Finally, they passed through the living room on the way to the kitchen.

“Bubbas,” Josh said, pointing to the sleeping bags on the living room floor. “Sleepin'”

Liv smiled. Josh had a totally endearing way of referring to every child that lived in the house as his “bubba” or “brother.” He struggled with expressive language but always managed to make his point.

“Yep. That's Oliver and Zoey. They came yesterday, didn't they?”

Josh nodded, and then his face split into a wide grin.

“Hey! It's my best buddy!” Emma greeted softly, climbing to the top of the stairs.

Josh held his arms out. “Hug,” he insisted, adding the sign for “please,” for a good measure.

“Just a second. Let me sit down first. Then, I would love a hug,” Emma said, making her way to a chair and pulling it out. She sat and set her crutches down as softly as possible. They still banged against the floor a bit.

Liv waited until she was settled and then set Josh in her lap. He instantly wrapped his arms around her.

“Can you sit with him while I get something set out for breakfast?”

“Of course,” Emma nodded. “So, I didn't hear anything else last night. Were they okay?” she asked, nodding to the living room where Zoey and Oliver still slept.

“They were fine as long as they were together. Hey, as long as I've got you here... Would you mind going through the box? Zoey mentioned she put something in there about what was important to her. Something about bells scaring her. I think you should take a look at it so we can be sure there's nothing like that that scares them again.”

“Puppy,” Josh offered.

“That's right!” Emma exclaimed. “Dudley had a bell on last night and he walked by them just before they panicked and hid under the table.”

“I'll make sure he's got his regular collar on,” Liv nodded, double checking that the dog - now eating in the kitchen - was free of bells. “I'm gonna try to talk to all the kids today about what they put in the box. Here,” Liv stepped into the living room and grabbed the box off the end table.

Liv watched as Emma went through the papers, balancing Josh, who, by now, was squirming to be put down.

“Morning... Um... Zoey had an accident,” Liv turned to see that Oliver had come to stand in the kitchen, his dark hair mussed, blue eyes sleepy and blank.

“That's all right,” Emma reassured. “We'll clean it up. She doesn't have to worry.” She made her way past him to sit in the living room until Zoey woke up. No one wanted to wake up alone in a strange house.

“Oliver, come here for a second,” Liv invited. “What kind of cereal do you like?” she asked.

“I'm not really hungry...” he admitted.

“Okay. Are you feeling okay? You need anything?”

He muttered something.

“What's that?”

“I said, I think I'm on the wrong team. You're great, and, like, no offense... It's just... I don't have anger issues like the rest of them.”

“We'd miss you if you went to the other team,” Liv offered.

“I doubt it,” Oliver replied, his voice soft and distant.

“Well, I'd like you to stay with us for now. You just want some toast this morning? Maybe some tea?”

“Water, please.”

“I can do that. Listen, I didn't see you put anything in the box. I'd love to know what matters to you.”

“Nothing. That's why I didn't put anything in...”

“If you do think of something, would you put it in the box so I know about it. I want you to feel okay here.”

“Yeah, I'll try.”

Liv heard ripping and watched him scribble a single word on a scrap of paper and then set it in the box at the table next to Emma.

[Image is a scrap of paper with the word Zoey traced several times in pencil.  A yellow star sticker is beside the word.]

Zoey opened her eyes to the sound of cereal pouring. It was just a bad dream, she was home in her bed and her Daddy was pouring cereal just like every day. She opened her eyes, and felt her heartbeat speed up.

She wasn't at home.

Where was she?

Where was Ollie?

Her eyes filled with tears and she felt wet and itchy with pee.

“Hey. It's Emma,” Zoey heard, and she hid her head under the sleeping bag. It smelled very bad but she didn't care. She didn't want Emma. She wanted Daddy.

“Oliver's in the kitchen, okay? And Liv and I are here, and we're gonna take care of you today. And you can play with the other kids. How does that sound?”

Zoey made a sad noise like a grunt. It didn't sound good. No kids here even liked her. It didn't feel good to not have friends. Zoey always had friends. Everybody liked her because she was such a fun girl.

Everything changed now, though.

Zoey peeked one eye out when she heard a nose smelling her. Dudley's tongue licked her for a kiss. She remembered Dudley's name 'cause it was funny. She hugged him and buried her face in his fur. Those bad jingle bells were off him now so it was safe to do.

“I want Daddy,” Zoey said into Dudley's fur.

“I'm sure,” Emma said.

Zoey felt a hand rubbing her back. It felt nice. It also made her want to cry, so she got out of the sleeping bag and started walking around.

“Let's get you some dry clothes. Sound good?”

“Hey! No fair! They got to have a camp out!” Carter yelled, but kept going into the kitchen.

Downstairs, Zoey and Emma were the only two. Everybody else was upstairs for breakfast. While Emma opened drawers and found clothes for Zoey to change into, Zoey walked over to Ari's bed and found her apple perfume and sprayed a bunch on her. Apples smelled so fresh.

“I don't think you asked Ari if you could use that, did you?”

“No, but it's okay,” Zoey smiled. There were no rules anymore. No Daddy. No rules. Nothing.

Emma waited outside the closed bedroom door while Zoey got dressed. “Hey, I made you a picture. Did you see?”

“I did see. Thank you so much. Did you want to tell me about it?”

“No bells.”

“No bells is what's important to you?” Emma asked.

“Yeah.”

“Bells like Dudley had on last night?”

“Mmm-hmm. I got my underwear on!”

“Good job.”

“Bells were ringing yesterday. At the store. And Daddy.”

“Oh?”

“I like dresses more than pants.”

“I'll remember that. The thing is, it's cold in winter. People usually wear dresses in summer.”

“In............sum-mer!” Zoey sang, in a perfect imitation of Olaf from Frozen. Olaf was her favorite after Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash and My Little Pony. She exploded out from the bedroom and Emma did a surprised jump.

“I'm all done!”

“Nice job, let's make sure your hands are clean before we go have breakfast,” Emma said.

Zoey made a face. Her hands were just gonna get dirty again. She wanted to see Ollie. But the soap was pink and like a soft cloud, so she used a bunch and scrubbed her hands super clean. The water running reminded Zoey of the sound in her head when all the bad stuff happened yesterday, so she hurried to shut it off, and ran ahead of Emma to have breakfast.

–

Josh sat next to Carter. He was very good at sharing. Carter liked when Josh shared his food. Food was yummy.

He handed Carter a rainbow marshmallow under the table.

Carter took it and ate it.

Josh ate one. Then he gave one to Carter again.

Brothers shared.

–

Carter wrinkled his nose as he saw Zoey come in the kitchen. She had to be the loudest girl in the world. Just his luck she was living in the same house as him. It still wasn't fair for her and Oliver to get to camp out and him not.

He was about to point that out when Josh handed him another slimy marshmallow from his Lucky Charms. Josh was a good brother. He knew how important it was for Carter to have food. Especially now that everything was wrong and everybody went away. He even said it to the box so Olivia could know.

[Image is a piece of paper that reads "Food.  Carter" written in teal marker.  A dog sticker with blue background is stuck to the message.]

Inside his head, and sometimes out loud, he called Olivia olive. It was hilarious.

Carter was used to getting sent other places, not other people leaving him first. He lived at four houses since the last day of kindergarten when he told his teacher he didn't want to go home, and why, and stuff. He didn't know that meant he'd have to go somewhere else with strangers. He thought maybe he'd get to go and live at school with his teacher. Back then, he still thought teachers lived at school all the time and never went home even to sleep.

Now that Carter was seven, he knew better.

“You stink worse now than before,” Carter pointed out to Zoey.

“You stink worse now than before,” Zoey said, copying him in her baby voice.

“Hey, no one stinks,” Olivia said in her serious voice. “It's rude to say so.”

“Even if it's true?” Carter asked, annoyed. He was always in trouble for something even if he didn't mean to be.

“Yes.”

“You don't know anything. I don't stink. I smell dazzling,” Zoey insisted.

“You smell like Ari's perfume,” Charlie said.

Carter leaned forward, waiting for Ari to freak out. She did that sometimes. Like the Hulk.

“No way! You little thief! You stole my perfume! Emma, make her pay me back!” Ari pushed Zoey so hard she almost fell on the ground.

“Hey,” Oliver said, using the loudest voice Carter had ever heard him use. “Don't touch her.”

“You should teach your sister not to steal!” Ari yelled.

“No. We do not put hands on people like that. Outside.” Carter watched, very impressed at how Olivia took Ari outside on the deck and dumped out a bunch of cans and made her stomp them.

“Hey, Emma, what's next on the schedule?” Noah asked, pulling the curtains closed to give Ari privacy to get mad by herself with just Olivia and not all of them staring.

“Chores,” Emma said, swallowing.

“Aw man,” Carter sighed. His stomach grumbled. One bowl of cereal wasn't enough for him. He wondered if William told Olivia and Grace how much Carter usually had to eat. William made all the meals and he was the best cook.

“We could have races between the teams to see which one can get done with their cleaning first,” Harper suggested.

Carter smiled at her. They had fun because she told dirty jokes to him when no one else could hear. He told her some ones he remembered his real dad telling and she always laughed and never told on him. “I like races. I'll do it,” he volunteered.

Maybe he'd get another ring for his chain for listening. Or helping. Did it count if it was Harper and not Olivia or Emma?

Plus, cleaning the kitchen after breakfast would give him a chance to sneak some more food in for his secret stash.

[Image is a piece of grocery list paper bordered in green and yellow.  Written in purple pen is the message: "Hi!  How are you?  I am okay, but I miss my friend Lexie.  I hope you guys will let me see her tomorrow.  How many rings do I have to earn for that?  Christmas was really awesome.  I hope you guys had awesome Christmases too.  My favorite present is my new blanket.  I hope you guys like staying with us.  Maybe we could bake cookies sometime?  HEG."]

Harper smiled and fingered the construction paper chain. Even though she was eleven and too old for stuff like this, she still liked the idea that she could see evidence of her own good behavior. It was like proof. Proof that there was some good in her still.

She was by her door, and it was still good and locked, when a piece of paper got slid underneath it.

[Image is: written on the back of Harper's grocery list paper note in pink pen is the message: "Hi Harper, I'm doing great!  I'm really glad to be here with you.  I think seeing your friend Lexie is a good idea when your chores are done, if we can trust you to come home for dinner (5 PM).  You don't have to earn time with friends, just ask and we will let you know if it's a good time, and when we'd like you home.  Glad you had such a good Christmas.  Mine was nice, too.  Blankets are so nice and cozy!  Having a blast staying here and I think cookies sounds like a great activity - we'll do it sometime this week.  Thanks for all your help!  Emma."]

She smiled. Even though the note didn't say to write back soon, Harper did anyway. She was probably the only one of the kids who loved being here with Emma and Olivia and not William and Grace.

Even though she'd lived her for just over a year, she still couldn't call William her dad. It was too weird. She was glad he was gone. Glad to be in a house with just women. The only boys close to her age now were Noah and Oliver.

Harper knew she could trust Noah to not be a jerk. They were in the same grade at school since she'd skipped two and he'd skipped one. Harper was around him a lot of the day that way and they even shared Algebra together. Grace raised him to be kind to women and help them, so he was always opening doors for her and letting her go first in lines and stuff. It was weird, but a good weird. She didn't know what to think of Oliver yet. She was extra watchful about him anyway. Harper was glad when Olivia made him get out of Ari and Charlie's room, but still made sure he and Zoey were safe.

She knew because Harper had crept upstairs after them, to get her phone, where it was on the end table next to Noah's. She'd seen how Olivia let them sleep by each other but in a common room. That was fair, and made her breathe easier.

Now, Harper just had to pick up her room and do the vacuuming so she'd be allowed to go to Lexie's like Emma promised. She scooped up the mess of blankets from her floor and started folding them.

Since that was really the only mess in the room, she started up her laptop and changed the code on it again. Then she went on social media to see if there were any new messages. There weren't. So Harper opened the word document where she backed up copies of everything and scrolled through it. All 102 pages were still there.

Maybe someday, she'd be brave enough to tell again.

Maybe this time, she'd be believed.